The Four Cups of Passover
Enjoy this 28 page article.
The four
cups of wine are customarily drunk at the Passover Seder. An
innocent-looking choice between wine and grape juice for the Passover
Seder can, under appropriate circumstances, become a focus for
complex moral, political, and religious issues. This paper will not
attempt to go into this much- debated issue. We'll leave this debate
up to you and your family.
During
Passover, no food with leaven is permitted. Leavening is a fermenting
process in which yeast turns the food sour. The rules of leavening
apply to food prepared out of any of the five kinds of grain; barley,
wheat, rye, oats, and spelt. Although wine is fermented, it doesn't
enter into the category of leaven because it is not made from one of
these five types. Some reports indicated that possibly unfermented
"raisin-wine" was the only acceptable beverage for
Passover. Today only kosher wine is used for Passover (Sarna 1988).
During the
Seder, each participant drinks four cups of wine to recall the four
expressions of redemption mentioned in the Bible (Ex. 6:6-7). God
tells Moses to tell the people of Israel, "I will bring you out
from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid (deliver) you
from under their bondage (slavery) and I will redeem you with a
stretched out arm and with great judgments: and I will take you to Me
for a people and I will be to you a God." The four cups at the
Seder represent the four expressions of redemption--bring, deliver
(salvation), redeem and take. The first cup is called the cup of
sanctification; the second, the cup of judgment(deliverance,
Salvation); the third, the cup of redemption; and the fourth, the cup
of the kingdom (hope, expectation). We drink the first cup because He
saved us from our burdens. We drink the cup of salvation because He
delivered us completely from the slavery of sin. We drink the third
cup because God crushed Satan on our behalf so that he could no
longer afflict us, and we drink the fourth cup because He brought us
near to Him and granted us spiritual redemption.
Thus the
four cups represent God's saving activity for us through the work of
His Son, Our Lord.
A fifth cup
was later added by rabbis, called the cup of Elijah. The custom of
filling a fifth cup of wine for Elijah the Prophet at the seder table
is relatively recent. Some families set a place at the table for
Elijah and pour into a goblet called "Elijah's cup" to
symbolize Elijah would be a welcome guest at the seder (Elijah never
died. He ascended to heaven). Another custom is to open the door
during the seder for Elijah, symbolizing bringing the Messianic age
into their lives. Elijah is expected to return at Passover time as we
can deduce from Matthew 11:7.
Cup. Besides
its literal use as a drinking vessel, the term is also used in a
figurative sense in the Scriptures. Symbolically it is used of life
itself, an expression of destiny in both the good and evil sense.
The
inheritance of the saints is the portion of their cup (Ps 16:5).
There is the cup of sorrow (Mt 26:39; Mk 14:36; Lk 22:42; Jn 18:11)
and the cup of consolation (Jer 16:7). The cup symbolizes an abundant
share of blessings, prosperity, joy, even salvation (Ps 23:5;
116:13); or a share of afflictions (Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17). It may be
the cup of God's wrath, punishment, vengeance (Isa 51:17,22; Lam
4:21; Ps 11:6; 75:8), the cup of judgement (Ps 11:6; 73:10; 75:8; Isa
51:17,22; Jer 25:15-28; Ezk 23:31-34). Are the words and verses above
tied into the four cups. For me, they are but you must decide for
yourself.
The custom of drinking four cups
of wine dates back to ancient Temple times.
In the passover seder, the first
cup is drank at the end of the Kiddush ceremony. Cup of
Sanctification. The first cup was special because it consecrated the
entire Passover ritual that followed.
Sanctification
The dominant idea of sanctification
is separation from the secular and sinful and setting apart for a
sacred purpose. As the holiness of God means His separation from all
evil, so sanctification, in the various Scripture applications of the
term, has a kindred lofty significance. The idea is inward cleansing
is the work of God. Sanctification is a progressive process which
proceeds in the life of the regenerated sinner on a moment-by-moment
basis. In sactification there occurs a substantial healing of the
seperations which have occurred between God and man, man and his
fellowman, man and himself, and man and nature.
First in the list of God's
activities in the Exodus and in our lives is the promise to free the
Israelites and us from their burdens and us from our burdens. This
burden was the slavery to which the Israelites had been subjected to
and the hardships this slavery produced. Being tied down to burdens
does not allow us to serve God. As slaves of Egypt, Israel could not
worship God as He had instructed her, nor as she desired. Israel's
primary essence was her worship of God, a worship which would cause
the nations who saw her to marvel (Deut 4:5-8). Since Israel was
slaved to the Egyptians, Israel was unable to worship God as she
should.
Therefore God makes the first
promise, that He would separate her from the burden of the Egyptians,
so that they could serve Him. Each time the famous line is spoken
"Let My people go," it is followed with "so that they
might serve me." We find this repretative phrase "Let My
people go" in Ex. 4:13; 7:16; 8:1,20; 9:1, 13; 10:3,7. Serve
is a common Hebrew expression for worship.
Hebrew: qodesh, is rendered
sanctify, to be set apart, or consecrated. In the Old Covenant
economy, things, places, and times, as well as persons, were
sanctified or consecrated to holy purposes (Gn 2:3; Ex 13:2;
40:10-13). Connected with this were the Mosaic rites of purification
(Num 6:11; Lev 22:16, 32; Heb 9:13). These rites were symbolical and
thus were intended not only to remind the Jew of the necessity of
spiritual cleansing but also of the gracious purpose of God to
actually accomplish the work. So David prayed not only, "Purify
me with hyssop, and I shall be clean," but also, "Create in
me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me"
(Ps 51:7-10).
Greek: Hagiasmos means
consecration, purification, sanctification. It is used of (a)
separation to God, Ex 19:22; Lev. 11:44; 20:7-8; I Cor 1:30; II
Thess 2:13; I Pet 1:2; 3:15, (b) the course of life befitting those
so separated, I Thess 4:3,4,7; Rom 6:19,22; I Tim 2:15; Heb 12:14.
Sanctification is that relationship with God into which men enter by
faith in Yeshua, Acts 26:18; I Cor 6:11; to which their sole title is
the death of Yeshua, Eph 5:25-26; Col 1:22; Heb 10:10, 29; 13:12.
Sanctification is also used in
N.T. of the separation of the believer from evil things and ways.
This sanctification is God's will for the believer, I Thess. 4:3, and
His purpose in calling him by the gospel, I Thess 4:7; it must be
learned from God, I Thess 4:4, as He teaches it by His Word, Jn 17:
17, 19; Ps 17:4; 119:9, and it must be pursued by the believer,
earnestly and undeviatingly, I Tim 2:15; Heb 12:14. For the holy
character, hagiosune, I Thess 3:13, it cannot be transferred or
imputed, it is an individual possession, built up, little by little,
as the result of obedience to the Word of God, and of following the
example of Yeshua, Matt 11:29; Jn 13:15; Eph 4:20; Phil 2:5, in the
power of the Holy Spirit, Rom 8:13; Eph 3:16.
The Holy Spirit is the Agent in
sanctification, Rom. 15:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; I Pet 1:2; I Cor 6:11. The
sanctification of the Spirit is associated with the choice, or
election, of God; it is a Divine act preceding the acceptance of the
Gospel by the individual.
The external means is the Word of
God. Yeshua prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word
is truth (Jn 17:17) Since He has given the Scriptures by inspiration.
He never works against but through them. The internal means is the
presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. It is He who
keeps the law of God, as revealed by Himself, in and through is. "For
what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,
condemned sin in the flesh. That the righteousness of the law might
be fulfilled in us (by the Holy Spirit), who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit.
In the true church of God are all
who are sanctified in Yeshua Jesus, called to be saints (Acts
9:13,32; 26:10; Rom 1:7; 12:13; I Cor 2:1; 6:1; 7:34; 16:1; Eph 1:4;
5:27; Col 3:12-17 plus 14 times in Rev.) , and who call upon him as
God manifest in the flesh, for all the blessings of salvation; who
acknowledge and obey him as their Lord, and as Lord of all; it
includes no other persons.
Hagiazo, to sanctify, to hallow,
to separate from profane things or consecrate, to purify. It is used
of (a) the gold adorning the Temple and of the gift laid on the
altar, Matt 23:17,19, (b) the ceremonial cleansing of the Israelites,
Heb 9:13; (c) the Father's Name, Lk 11:2, (d) the consecration of the
Son by the Father, Jn 10:36; (e) the Lord Jesus devoting Himself to
the redemption of His people, Jn 17:19; (f) the setting apart of the
believer for God, Acts 20:32; Rom 15:16; (g) the effect on the
believer of the Death of Yeshua, Heb 10:10, said of God, and Heb
2:11; 13:12, said of the Lord by the Father through the Word, Jn
17:17,19; (h) the believer who turns away from such things as
dishonour God and His gospel, 2 Tim 2:21; (i) the acknowledgment of
the Lordship of Yeshua, I Pet 3:15.
Since every believer is sanctified
in Yeshua Jesus, I Cor 1:2, Heb 10:10, a common N.T. designation of
all believers is saints, hagioi, sanctified or holy ones. Thus
sainthood, or sanctification, is not an attainment, it is the state
into which God, in grace, calls sinful men, and in which they begin
their course as Christians, Col 3:12; Heb. 3:1.
Now back to the Israelites.
The first cup was attached to the
phrase "I will bring you out from under the burdens of the
Egyptians." "To bring out," found in the first phrase,
implies a change of status. "Burdens," refers to
uncomfortable and wearisome.
Since the exodus became the
primary and foundational expression of God's redemptive activity, we
are not surprised to see that in the progress of His revelation He
teachs us that, even as He chose Israel, so He has chosen each and
every person who comes to faith in Yeshua. Paul speaks of this as he
opens his epistle to the Ephesians:
Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Yeshua, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Yeshua: According as he
hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we
should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Yeshua to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. (Eph 1:3-6)
To be "holy
and blameless before Him" is language of worship, for to come
"before Him' means to abide in His presence, to be, as it were,
engulfed in the glory of the Lord. The common terminology of the
Torah describing the locus of the priests' work in the Tabernacle and
Temple is "before the Lord". To picture the position of the
believer in Yeshua as "holy and blameless before Him" is to
speak in Torah-terms of the true service or worship the Messiah by
those who are judged "clean" and therefore fit to come
before God in worship.
Thus, the
first cup marks Israel out as God's chosen ones and bring them out
from under the burden of slavery, freeing them to worship and serve
Him in spirit and in truth. And this is the same work He does for
each and every child He brings into His family--He chooses them of
His own soverign will and sets about to free them from the shackles
of slavery. This freedom from slavery is for this primary purpose: to
worship Him as He intends. It is the calling of each and every child
of God to be sanctified--set apart-- unto God, to be given over to
His worship and His worship alone. The first cup of Passover, the Cup
of Sanctification or Seperation, reminds us of this crucial point of
our salvation.
The Second Cup--Cup of Deliverance
(Salvation)
I will rid (deliver) you from under
their bondage (slavery).
"To deliver,' found here in
the second phrase, suggests that Israel is helpless to affect the
change herself. The Hebrew verb found in this phrase means "to
rescue," "to snatch away." On who needs to be rescued
is someone who cannot affect his own deliverance--someone who must
seek help outside of himself. This phrase makes it clear that Israel
was helpless, and needed to be rescued. Every time we raise the
Second Cup of the seder and bless the Lord for our salvation, we need
to be reminded that our deliverance was all of His doing--we were
helpless to secure our own rescue.
This reminds me of a story. There
was this young cowboy playing poker in a poker game. He caught his
partner cheating so he shot the other man. He was arrested and sent
to jail. The townsfolks came in and said that he had a good character
and should be released. He just kinda lost his way. The gallows got
built for his hanging. So the townsfolks sent mail to the Governor
pleading on the young mans release. Meanwhile, the governor found out
that he was about to get hanged and felt pity for the young man, so
he wrote a pardon for the young man. He put the pardon into an
envelope and put it into his pocket. He got this great idea to dress
up as a preacher and headed to the jail.
The Sheriff entered the cell and
told the young man that he had a visitor. So the preacher came on in
and tells the boy that He had a way to release the boy from his
future hanging. The boy was cussin a whole lot and said that He was
the third preacher that could release him and told the preacher to
get out and take his release book with him. So the preacher left
because the boy was ungrateful.
The Sheriff came back to the cell
and asked the young man how he got along with the Governor. "The
Governor" shouted the young man. Tell him to get back in here.
But too late, the Govenor had gone on back home.
So the young man wrote back to the
governor pleading for him to come back but the Governor tore up the
envelopes and decided that the young man wasn't worthy of his pardon.
The time came to hang the boy so
He told the folks, " Today, I get hanged for murdering a man for
which I deserve, but I could have saved myself from going to the
gallows if I just accepted the free pardon".
Have you accepted the free pardon
that has been offered to you??
Now back to our lesson on the
Israelites.
The word "bondage" in
Hebrew is avodah, and refers to either "work", or
"worship." Israel, imprisoned under the yoke of Egypt, was
in danger of falling prey to the idolatrous worship.
Paganism had entered the
Israelites from the influences of Egypt. When Moses lingered upon Mt.
Sinai, Israel, following the ways of the Egyptians, made a golden
calf not unlike the idols they saw in Egypt. Israel had come to
believe that other gods actually did exist, and that they were as
powerful as the God of Abraham, or perhaps even more powerful. They
danced and partied that the god of the golden calf set them free from
the Egyptians. It just shows how the influences of paganism creeps in
and destoys our faith. Israel needed to be pardoned just like we do.
Do you accept that pardon?
Our bondage to sin has left us
unable to rescue ourselves. We simply cannot find our way to freedom
because we are shackled by the chains of self-centeredness, which is
idolatry. Our only hope is that One stronger than our minds should
come in and deliver us from our prison. Paul speaks of this when he
writes in Colossians 1:13-14:
Col 1:13 Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through
his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
The second cup was drank prior to
unleaved bread ceremony. Cup of Plagues or cup of iniquity.
The climax of the Miggid story is
the ten plagues. With the mention of each plague, everyone dips or
pours out one drop of wine from his wine goblet into a small saucer.
The saucer, not the goblet, is known as the cup. When the saucer is
filled with the ten drops of wine, it is called the cup of plagues or
iniquity, a term symbolic of God's judgement. Now is posed the
rhetorical question: "Is it for this (the judgements) that we
praise God? The answer follows: "No, for God loved the Egyptians
even as He loved us. But it is for God's infinite mercies that we
praise Him."
Deliverer/Deliverer
Hebrew words: Nasal, Palat, Yasa,
Natal, Yeshua, Teshua, Peleta.
"Nasal" means "to
deliver, or rescue." This is the word found in Ex 3:8, which
describes God's response to the misery of his people in Egypt: "I
have come down to rescue them...and bring them up out of that land
into a good and spacious land." In most references a literal
deliverance is in view. But, like God's rescue of Israel at the
Exodus, physical deliverance has spiritual application. In the
several uses of this root in Psalms, spiritual salvation from sin is
clearly in view (Ps 39:8; 51:14; 69:14; 79:9).
"Palat" means "to
escape," "to save," or "to deliver." The use
of this verb is limited to OT poetry, and the word appears often in
Pslams. Nouns built on the root are sometimes translated
"deliverance," but typically they are traslated "escape,"
and the persons who have escaped are known as survivors.
"Yasa" means "to
deliver, or save." See salvation.
Any of the above Hebrew words may
be used of a rescue effected by human beings. But usually God is the
subject, alone is capable of delivering us in any situation. Many OT
references contain requests for God's deliverance, while others
celebrate what God has done in the past (Jdg 6:9). Typically, human
agents of deliverance are thought of as acting in the name and with
the power of the Lord.
"Natan" means "to
give" as in the words of defeat rather than in deliverance. The
expression is "give them into your hand." This word for
deliver is found in those narratives in which God gives Israel
victory over their enemies (Dt 23:14; 31:5) and in which Israel is
being disciplined by foreign invaders (2 Ki 21:14; Eze 11:9).
"Yeshua & Teshua"
means safety or deliverance.
"Peleta" means escape or
deliverance.
"Hophshi" means freedom
from slavery or freedom in general.
Greek words:
"Paradidomi" indicates a
deliberate giving over to another's power. This is the word used in
passages that describe Jesus' being handed over for crucifixion. Its
basic use in the Greek Scriptures is to suggest delivering up to
judgement and death, as in Rom 4:25: "He was delivered over to
death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
"Sozo" means "save"
or "salvation" and it refers to deliverance or rescue.
There are 111 verses.
"Rhyomai" is the
equivalent to the Hebrew word "Nasal" and means to deliver
or rescue. It is found in: Mt 6:13; 27:43; Lk 1:74; 11:4; Rm 7:24;
11:26; 15:31; 2 Cor 1:10; Col 1:13; I Thess 1:10; II Thess 3:2; 2 Tim
3:11; 4:17-18; 2 Pt 2:7,9.
"Apolutrosis" means
loosing in the sense of deliverance (Hb 11:35).
"Aphesis" means sending
away as in deliverance (Lk 4:18).
"Eleutheros" means
freedom.
Hebrew Concept.
Liberation from bondage in Egypt to
become a peculiar people unto God, a kingdom of priests and a holy
nation (Ex 19:3-6; 1 Pt 2:9; Rv 1:6; 5:10). It was God in his
soverign grace who brought about this liberation (Ex 20:1-2). This
deliverance from oppression and want in Egypt to freedom and plenty
in Palestine (Ex 3:8; Dt 8:7) was a freedom from servitude to Pharoah
to the service of God (Lv 25:55). Similarly believers in the Greek
Scriptures are freed from the bondage if Satan and the world (Eph
2:1-3; Rm 6:16) to be a kingdom of priests (I Pt 2:9) and bondslaves
of the Lord (Mt 10:24; Lk 17:10; Rm 1:1).
Liberation of slaves. The dignity
of man was maintained in the laws for the liberation of slaves every
7 years or in the year of jubilee, whichever came first, and in their
human treatment (Ex 21:2-11; Lv 25:39-55; Dt 15:12-15; Jr
34:8-11,14).
Liberation of Israel. If Israel
obeyed God they would enjoy peace and freedom (Dt 28:1-14), but
rebellion and idolatry would lead to bondage in other nations (Dt
28:15-69). However, a glorious deliverance was promised with the
coming of the Messiah (Isa 61:1). This proved to be in two parts,
Yeshua quoting and fulfilling the first part, "The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me" down to the words, "to preach the
acceptable day of the Lord" (Lk 4:16-20) at His first coming (v.
21), while the second, "the day of vengence of our God,"
remains to be fulfilled just before His second advent. With His
second return He will usher in the greatest liberation of all, and
one in which both Israel and the Church will share (Joel 2:32; Amos
9:11 (Rm 11:26); Obad 17; Zech 14:1 (Rm 4:16; Hb 11:39-40).
Freedom, Deliverance in the
Scriptures is connected chiefly with the concept of liberation from
sin. Jesus stated that every man who commits sin is the slave of sin,
and that he can be freed only by the intervention of the Son of God
who is able to break sin's yoke (Jn 8:31-36). The operation of the
new life of the Spirit can deliver man from the depressing law of sin
and death, and can engender the hope of ultimate liberation for the
corruption that follows sin (Rm 8:2,21). If we consider ourselves
dead to sin, it is not to have dominion over us (Rm 6:6-7, 11-23).
This freedom is not the product of legalism; but of faith (Gal
4:23-31). Legalism is justification by works, by perfectly keeping
the law. Yeshua alone could and did fulfill the law for our
justification; and all law-keeping done by man is self-justification
is therefore condemned (Rm 3:19-20; Gal 5:4).
Man has sinned, and the horizon of
his freedom is consequently limited. He may choose whether or not he
will commit some particular sin, but he cannot choose whether or not
he will be a sinner. He can only acknowledge the fact, and accept the
deliverance which God can provide. He may have the freedom to refuse
it, but not to avoid the consequences of his refusal.
Freedom for mankind has been
seriously curtailed by sin. The evils that have been produced by the
wrong choices of the past handicap the full exercise of free will,
not because God has arbitrarily so ruled, but because in an ordered
universe liberty can survive only within law. Liberty is not
synonymous with chaos. In order to restrain evil, and to keep it from
enslaving the world permanently, God must intervene by redemption. He
retains the perogative of the final decision.
Man is free from the bondage of the
Hebrew Law because it is a means of justification (Rm 6:14; 7:3,5-25;
8:2-4; Gal 2:4; 4:21-31; 5:1-13; I Cor 10:29). The ceremonialism
which goes with the the law is done away with (Gal 2:5; 5:3-6; Hb
10:26; 12:27).
The believer's liberty is one that
is maintained in a life of progressive santification which occurs
within the bounds of the law (Mt 5:17-19,21,27,43,48; 22:35-40: Rm
13:8-10). When we live according to its precepts we have freedom,
therefore it is called "the perfect law of liberty" (Jas
1:25), "the royal law" (Jas 2:8) and "the law of
liberty (Jas 2:12).
Man is free from Spiritual
Death--fallen nature will be removed and he will have a ressurection
body (Rm 6:9-10,21 ff; 8:18-23; Hb 2:14-15).
Freedom from bondage to decay is
conferred upon the entire creation through the Christian dispensation
(Rm 8:21). Freedom is brought to the Christian by Yeshua (Gal 5:1),
and the Son frees from sin (Jn 8:36). It is also knowledge of the
truth revealed by the Son which frees from sin (Jn 8:31).
The freedom of the Christian is a
freedom under discipline; freedom is obtained through obedience (Rm
6:17).
Freedom from sin is not only
freedom from guilt and punishment for past sins, but freedom also
from the bondage to sexual hunger which impels men to sin; through
Yeshua man is delivered from slavery to his own desires (Rm 7:3-25).
Christian freedom is freedom under
a new law, the law of love (Gal 5:13), and the old law is replaced by
the law of the gospel which frees (Jas 1:25; 2:12). Christian freedom
replaces slavery to the law or to sin with slavery to God (I Pt
2:16).
Christian freedom is not a social
revolutionary element; the Christian who is freed from sin is urged
to be content with the social status which is his, and to submit to
established authority ( I Cor 7:17-25; I Pt 2:16).
The principle of Christian freedom
contains the principle of social and political freedom; for within
the Christain community all have secured equal freedom through
baptism, whatever their social status (I Cor 12:13). All are equally
free in Yeshua, so that within the Christian community national,
social, or racial distinctions are of no validity (Gal 3:28; Col
3:11).
The princile of Christian freedom
is the spirit; for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom
(2 Cor 3:17). It is through the infusion of the Spirit, in contrast
to the letter of the law and Jewish tradition, the the life of the
Christian is governed. Freedom which implies license and absence of
restraint is an artificial freedom and slavery to destruction (2 Pt
2:19).
See: Freedom; Liberation; Liberty;
Rescue;
Salvation (Soteriology)
"Yasha" signifies
freedom from what binds or restricts. Hence the Hebrew verb means to
deliver, liberate, safety, ease, soundness, give width and breadth
to. Several nouns derived from this root mean both the act of
deliverance or rescuing (I Sm 11:9), the resultant state of safety,
welfare, and properity (II Sm 23:5; Ps 12:6), and victory over one's
foes (II Sm 23:10,12; Ps 98:1; 37:40; 59:2; 106:4), all in the
temporal and spiritual area. God also saves by granting forgiveness
of sins, answers to prayer, joy, and peace (Ps 79:9; 69:13; 51:12).
The Hiphil participle of this verb is the word for "saviour,"
moshia, and from it comes the name Joshua and its Grecized form
Jesus, both meaning "Yahweh saves."
The verb "Sozo" and its
cognate "Soter, Soteria" usually translates "Yasha".
Soteria can mean "cure," "recovery," "remedy,"
"rescue," "redemption," "welafare," or
"peace," or "wholeness."
There are several aspects of
salvation in both Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. First, salvation
implies that a person or nation is in great distress--perhaps related
to danger from enemies (or war) or to suffering cause by some
disaster such as sin. In such situations the sufferers do not have
the ability to help themselves.
Second, salvation involves a
deliverer (a savior). This is a person who acts on behalf of the
sufferers to deliver them from their distress. One saves by defending
or assisting in war and battle (Jos 10:6; I Sam 23:2,5; 2 Sam
10:19+). Jesus died for us and thus accomplished our salvation (Tit
3:5; 2 Tim 1:9). Reconciled to God, we are being saved through Jesus'
life (Rm 5:10).
Third, the action of the deliverer
effects a release from the circumstances that caused the suffering.
Thus, salvation portrays movement--from distress to safety. Released
from war and invasion (Jds 2:16; 8:22; 12:3; 13:5; I Sam 9:16; Pss
44:8; 69:14; 80:4,8,20; 85:8,10; Jer 42:11), we praise God. Released
from slavery to sin, we offer ourselves to God, to serve Him in
righteousness (Rom 6:5-14). See also: Matt 9:22; 14:30; Luke 8:50;
18:42; Acts 27:20,31,34; Heb 5:7.
Only God can save his people from
physical danger and the prospect of spiritual, eternal death. See
Deut 33:29; Ps 44:6-8; Isa 45:22; Hos 13:4. The safety of Israel is
in God (Jer 3:23). It is only God who acts to effect salvation. He
reaches down to save those who turn to Him in trust and rely on Him
alone to accomplish what they realize they can never do alone. Only
God is the "God of my salvation" (Pss 18:47; 24:5; 25:5;
27:9; 65:6; 79:9; 85:5+; Isa 17:10; Mic 7:7; Hab 3:18) and the "rock
of my salvation" (Deut 32:15; Pss 62:3,7; 89:27; 95:1). God is
called "my light and my salvation (Psa 27:1), or "my
salvation" (2 Sam 22:3; Ps 18:3). He saves by His own power, His
own arm (Isa 59:16; 63:5). He saves by His divine initiative and
election (I Thes 5:9; 2 Thes 2:13; 2 Tim 1:9; Heb 1:4).
The vanity of other gods is shown
by their inability to save (Isa 45:20; 46:7; Jer 2:28; 11:12). It is
foolish to expect salvation from men or from any human devices: the
sword (Psa 44:7); the nation (Lam 4:17; Hos 14:4), horses and
chariots (Psa 33:17), man (Isa 26:18).
Salvation is a work of God's mercy
and not of man's activity (Tit 3:5), a work of His grace (Eph 2:5;
Tit 2:11) and His patience (2 Pet 3:15).
Only God through the death of
Yeshua can He deliver humanity from the powers of sin, death, and
Satan, which drain life on earth of its joy and threaten each person
with eternal loss. It is to deal with this danger to the human beings
whom God loves that He has acted as Savior (Soter).
Only God through the resurrection
of Yeshua will the last taint of sin be removed, and we will be
perfected at last. The certainty of this future is beautifully
expressed in Rom 8:18-39 and I Cor 15:12-58.
Only God through Jesus Yeshua can
bring man from the state of sin to the state of glory. In the former
state men are spiritually dead and subject to divine wrath; in the
latter, they are under God's grace and experiencing eternal life.
Salvation from sin is something
God has accomplished in Jesus. It is only through Jesus that
salvation entered our world (John 3:17). Through Jesus we are saved
from the coming wrath (Rom 5:9). Jesus came into the world to
accomplish salvation for us (I Tim 1:15), and there is no other name
under heaven to which we can look for deliverance (Acts 4:12). God's
power was exercised to the fullest on our behalf in the death of
Jesus for our sins and in the resurrection of Jesus to guarantee what
His death won (2 Tim 4:18; Heb 7:25).
It is affirmed that salvation
comes through Yeshua (Luke 2:11; Jn 10:9; AA 13:23; Rom 15:11;
16:30f; Tit 1:3f; 2 Pet 1:1,11; 3:2,18; I John 4:14).
Only God can exercise His power
over nature, which is the instrument of His salvation and His
judgement. His saving power is manifested in the theophany (Heb 3:8)
and in His victory in creation (Psa 74:12). The most saving act of
God is His deliverance of Israel in the exodus (Exod 14:13; 15:2; Psa
78:22; Isa 63:9).
What is humanity's part in
salvation? First, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Yeshua, and you
will be saved" (Acts 16:31). Salvation is a gracious gift of
God, received through faith (Eph 2:5-8).
Salvation brings the righteousness
of God to man when he meets the condition of faith in Yeshua (Rm
1:16-17; I Cor 1:21); ie one must hear and believe. Salvation is
based on the death of Yeshua for the remission of sins in accord with
the just requirements of a Holy God (Rm 3:21-26). One has to recieve
the saving blood of Yeshua by baptism, being immersed under water so
that one can spiritually take on the blood of Yeshua. One has to
spiritually die before one can have eternal life.
Salvation is freely offered to all
men but is conditioned upon repentance and faith in Yeshua (Jn 3:16;
Hb 2:3).
The basic accomplishments of
salvation include redemption, reconciliation, and propitiation.
Redemption means full release by the payment of a ransom price (II Pt
2:1; Gal 3:13; Mt 20:28). Reconciliation means that because of
Yeshua's death, man's relationship with God has been changed from a
state of enmity to one of fellowship (Rm 5:10). Propitiation means
that God's wrath has been turned away by the offering of Yeshua (Rm
3:25; I Jn 4:10).
When a man believes in the Lord
Jesus Yeshua he is saved (Acts 16: 25-34); therefore his is
justified, redeemed, reconciled, and cleansed and sanctified (Jn
13:10; I Cor 6:11). Here the word cleansed means to have a bath, to
be washed by the blood of Yeshua.
Salvation is also progressive (I
Cor 1:18), and man needs the sanctifying work of the Spirit in the
working out of his salvation (Rm 8:13; II Cor 3:18; Phil 2:12). In
addition, salvation in its fulness is to be realized in the future
when Yeshua comes (Hb 9:28).
The need for salvation is found in
the sinful nature of man. The conditions for salvation is grace and
faith. These are both the gift of God. Faith and obedience are also
the responsibility of man (Eph 2:8; Jn 3:16). The rsponsibility of a
saved man is to live a godly life in seperation from the world and in
anticipation of the future consummation of his hope (Tit 2:12-13).
The believer can look with trust
and confidence to the Lord, expecting that he will act and expressing
the joy that comes with the assurance that God is his Savior. See Ps.
33:20-21; Ps 7:10; Isa 30:15.
The covenant promises that God
made to Abraham and his descendants were based on the future coming
of Yeshua as Redeemer, and the promises to NT believers are based on
the finished work of Yeshua Jesus--that is his death and
resurrection. To all believers, faith is an expression of a person's
confidence in the trustworthiness of God.
Salvation proceeds from the love
of God, is based upon the atonement wrought by Yeshua, is realized in
forgiveness, regeneration, and sanctification, and culminates in the
ressurection and glorification of all true believers.
Salvation in Christian usage means
saving from eternal death and endowing with everlasting life (Rm 5:9;
Jas 5:20; Hb 7:25). It means bringing one safely to Yeshua's heavenly
kingdom.
Eschantological Salvation. Peter
speaks of the "salvation ready to be revealed in the last time"
(I Pt 1:5). The believer has received the Holy Spirit as the earnest
or the down payment of his salvation (Rm 8:23; Eph 1:13-14). Two
further blessings remain for the future: the removal of the fallen
nature completely and the reception of a ressurection body. Paul
calls the latter "the redemption of our body" (Rm 8:23),
and explains that it will occur at the return of Yeshua when He will
remove the curse which was placed upon both man and nature after Adam
fell. Paul speaks the the ressurected body will be a body full of
glory and that it will be a spiritual body. Both Hebrew & Greek
Scriptures speak of this removal of the curse from nature (Rm
8:18-23; Isa 11:1-16; 65:25; Dan 12:2; Apocrapha --Ezra 6:35-9:25;
Apocrapha--Enoch 45-71; 91-105). See Ressurection.
Do Jews today believe in
eschantological salvation. Some sects believe in the bodily
ressurection of the righteous when the messiah arrives. But most
liberally minded Jews reject this notion.
For a period in Jewish belief
around 200 BC, some Jews believed that both the body and soul
perished, but were destined in time both to be revived.
From Amos 9:11-12 and Isaiah 11
during the exilic period, we get the idea that in a period when there
was no earthly king and no national existence, that Jews were
counseled to await in the future a revival of their national
existence under the eternal dynasty of David.
Do Jews Believe in Being Saved?
Jews tend not to use the word
"salvation," because Jews do not belief in being saved from
sin in Jesus. Jews believe in sin, but they believe also that God
pardons them from their sin, if they return to God in honest
atonement.
Jews do believe in salvation on
another sense: the sense of redemption. They see the hand of God in
history, and believe that they are charged with hastening the dawn of
a perfect age of righteousness and justice called the messianic age.
See also Redeem/Ransom, Deliver,
Saviour, reconciliation, propitiation, sin, atonement, justification,
sanctification, forgiveness,regeneration, ressurection.
The Second Cup reminds us that we
were in great need of deliverance, for our own idolatry so shackled
us as to be unable to affect our own rescue. God's deliverance was
(and is) our only hope. Understanding the Second Cup in this way
makes it clear why Luke begins his report of Yeshua's last Passover
sedar with the Second Cup (Lk 22:14-17). He wants to emphasize that
Yeshua is our Deliverer.
Lke 22:14-18
14. And when the hour was come, he sat
down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15. And he said unto them,
With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I
suffer: 16. For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof,
until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17. And he took the
cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among
yourselves: 18. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit
of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
Yeshua kept the ordiances of the
law, particularly that of the passover, to teach us to observe his
gospel institutions, and most of all that of the Lord's supper.
The Third Cup
The third cup was eaten after of
Passover meal. Cup of Redemption (blessing).
LK 17: 20. Likewise also the cup after
supper, saying, This cup is the NT in my blood, which is shed for
you.
"I will also redeem you with
an outstretched arm with great judgements." (Ex 6:7) It is also
mentioned in Deuteronomy.
The shedding of Yeshua's blood, by
which the atonement was made, is represented by the wine in the cup.
The third cup had two names: the
"cup of blessing," because it came after the blessing or
grace after meals, and the "cup of redemption," because it
represented the blood of the Pascal lamb. It may also be referred to
as the cup of judgment and salvation. It was of this cup that Jesus
said, 27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them,
saying, Drink ye all of it; 28. For this is my blood of the new
testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matt
26:28). It is this cup of blessing that Paul mentions in I Cor 10:16:
16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of
the blood of Yeshua? The bread which we break, is it not the
communion of the body of Yeshua? 17. For we being many are one
bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
This cup is only for those who
have been saved. A member who is not saved cannot partake of this
cup. This cup we partake at every Lord's Supper and at every Lord's
Supper in conjunction with the Love Feast.
A non-member can partake of the
first, second, and fourth cup but not the third cup.
The third cup was found in the
Garden of Gethsemane when Yeshua was pouring out sweat in the form of
blood (Matt 26:39; Mk 14:36: Lk 22:42).
He who made atonement for the sins
of mankind, submitted himself in a garden of suffering, to the will
of God, from which man had revolted in a garden of pleasure. Yeshua
took with him into that part of the garden where he suffered his
agony, only those who had witnessed his glory in his transfiguration.
Those are best prepared to suffer with Yeshua, who have by faith
beheld his glory. The words used denote the most entire dejection,
amazement, anguish, and horror of mind; the state of one surrounded
with sorrows, overwhelmed with miseries, and almost swallowed up with
terror and dismay. He now began to be sorrowful, and never ceased to
be so till he said, It is finished. He prayed that, if possible, the
cup might pass from him. But he also showed his perfect readiness to
bear the load of his sufferings; he was willing to submit to all for
our redemption and salvation. According to this example of Yeshua, we
must drink of the bitterest cup which God puts into our hands; though
nature struggle, it must submit. It should be more our care to get
troubles sanctified, and our hearts satisfied under them, than to get
them take away.
Yeshua's sufferings began with the
sorest of all, those in his soul. He began to be sorely amazed; words
not used in St. Matthew, but very full of meaning. The terrors of God
set themselves in array against him, and he allowed him to
contemplate them. Never was sorrow like unto his at this time. Now he
was made a curse for us; the curses of the law were laid upon him as
our Surety. He now tasted death, in all the bitterness of it. This
was that fear of which the apostle speaks, the natural fear of pain
and death, at which human nature startles. Can we ever entertain
favourable, or even slight thoughts of sin, when we see the painful
sufferings which sin, though but reckoned to him, brought on the Lord
Jesus? Shall that sit light upon our souls, which sat so heavy upon
his? Was Yeshua in such agony for our sins, and shall we never be in
agony about them? How should we look upon Him whom we have pierced,
and mourn! It becomes us to be exceedingly sorrowful for sin, because
He was so, and never to mock at it. Yeshua, as Man, pleaded, that, if
it were possible, his sufferings might pass from him. As Mediator, he
submitted to the will of God, saying, Nevertheless, not what I will,
but what thou wilt; I bid it welcome.
The third cup
was also found on the cross when He took the third drink and drank it
(Ps 22:16; 69:21; Matt 27:48; Mk 15:36; Jh 19:28-30. This drink was
common wine or sour wine. John does not mention the drugged wine, a
narcotic which Jesus refused as the crucifixion began, but only this
final gesture of kindness at the end. The sponge or reed may be a
symbolic reference to the hyssop used to put the blood of the paschal
lamb on the doorpost of the Hebrews. The vinegar. This was the common
sour wine (posea) daily made use of by the Roman soldiers. They gave
it to Yeshua, not in derision, but from compassion, to assuage his
thirst.
They gave
me gall for my meat (the word signifies a bitter herb, and is often
joined with wormwood) and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
This was literally fulfilled in Yeshua, and did so directly point to
him that he would not say "It is finished" till this was
fulfilled; and, in order that his enemies might have occasion to
fulfil it, he said, I thirst, Jn. 19:28, 29. Some think that the
hyssop which they put to his mouth with the vinegar was the bitter
herb which they gave him with the vinegar for his meat. See how
particularly the sufferings of Yeshua were foretold, which proves the
scripture to be the word of God, and how exactly the predictions were
fulfilled in Jesus Yeshua, which proves him to be the true Messiah.
This is he that should come, and we are to look for no other. 4. He
pleads the unkindness of his friends and his disappointment in them
(v. 20):
and gave him to
drink;
not to revive his spirits, or hasten his death, as some
have thought, but in contempt of him, and to mock him, he having
signified that he was athirst.
Give strong
drink to him that is ready to perish; but with that cup which Yeshua
was to drink of, they mingled vinegar and gall, to make it sour and
bitter. This signified, (1.) The sin of man, which is a root of
bitterness, bearing gall and wormwood, Deu. 29:18. The sinner perhaps
rolls it under his tongue as a sweet morsel, but to God it is grapes
of gall, Deu. 32:32. It was so to the Lord Jesus, when he bare our
sins, and sooner or later it will be so to the sinner himself,
bitterness at the latter end, more bitter than death, Eccl. 7:26.
(2.) It signified the wrath of God, that cup which is Father put into
his hand, a bitter cup indeed, like the bitter water which caused the
curse, Num. 5:18. This drink they offered him, as was literally
foretold, Ps. 69:21. And, [1.] He tasted thereof, and so had the
worst of it, took the bitter taste into his mouth; he let no bitter
cup go by him untasted, when he was making atonement for all our
sinful tasting of forbidden fruit; now he was tasting death in its
full bitterness. [2.] He would not drink it, because he would not
have the best of it; would have nothing like an opiate to lessen his
sense of pain, for he would die so as to feel himself die, because he
had so much work to do, as our High Priest, in his suffering work.
1. Some gave him
vinegar to drink (v. 48); instead of some cordial-water to revive and
refresh him under this heavy burthen, they tantalized him with that
which did not only add to the reproach they were loading him with,
but did too sensibly represent that cup of trembling which his Father
had put into his hand. One of them ran to fetch it, seeming to be
officious to him, but really glad of an opportunity to abuse and
affront him, and afraid lest any one should take it out of his hands.
One ran and
filled a sponge. This was occasioned by our Lord's cry, "I
thirst" (John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things
were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith,
I thirst), the fifth word from the cross. Full of vinegar. This was
the sour wine used by the soldiers; not mixed with myrrh, as in the
case of the stupefying draught Jesus had refused before crucifixion.
[Mk 15:23]
Gave him to
drink ...
It is not necessary to suppose that Jesus drank it. He
had requested drink by his exclamation, "I thirst"; but,
after tasting it, he rejected it. See under Matt. 15:23.
John 19
JOH 19:28 After
this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the
scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Yeshua when he has taken the vinegar, yields up the Spirit, indeed
drinking up in our name that most bitter and severe cup of his
Father’s wrath.
JOH 19:29 Now
there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with
vinegar, and put [it] upon hyssop, and put [it] to his mouth.
Galatinus witnesses out of the book called Sanhedrin that the Jews
often gave those who were executed vinegar mixed with frankincense to
drink, to make them somewhat delirious: so the Jews provided
charitably for the poor men’s conscience who were executed.
Verse 30
When
Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished:
and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.
The vessel of
vinegar was probably the property of the soldiers in charge of the
crucifixion, something they had probably brought along for
refreshment during the long watch. It was not the product marketed
under that label today, but the thin sour wine provided by the Roman
army as the soldiers' daily rations (Luke 23:36
And the soldiers
also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar.') It is
reasonable to infer that one of the soldiers, near the end, performed
this act of mercy for our Lord. It is not necessary to infer that
Jesus drank the proffered vinegar. He had promised not to drink of
the fruit of the vine until the day when he would drink it new with
them in the kingdom of God (Matthew 26:29 But I say unto you, I will
not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I
drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom). The sour wine offered
by the soldier was not new; the kingdom had not begun; and it was not
a disciple who offered it. "And when he had tasted it, he would
not drink" (Matthew 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled
with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink).
Although Matthew referred to the earlier offering of vinegar, it is
the key to what happened later. John's statement that Jesus
"received" it refers only to its having been brought to his
mouth.
Ransom, Redemption, Bought
Hb. Koper, Kapar: One may be reconciled
by the payment of a fine or damages; forgiveness. It is used in
reference to the money paid to the temple treasury for each Israelite
(Ex 30:11-16). It can also refer to the term "cover". In
reference to cover it means obliteration.
Aramaic: Kepar: to wash away.
Hb. Pada, Padah: Release, To Deliver.
It was used commercially to indicate a transfer of ownership (Lv
19:20). The transfer came through payment or some equivalent
transaction.
Hb Ga'al, Go'el: To play the part of a
kinsman; ie to act on the behalf of the relative in trouble or
danger. Persons or objects are in the power of another, and the one
whose person or possessions are held is unable to win release. Then a
third party appears, and this person is able to effect release, often
from slavery. Ga'al places the emphasis on the relationship between
redeemer and redeemed. Because of his close kinship, the redeemer had
the privilege and the duty of coming to the relative's aid (Lev
25:25-26, 48-49; Num 5:8. It can also mean the "avenger of
blood" (Num 35:12+; Deut 19:6+; Josh 20:3+).
Gk. Lytron, Lytroo, Lytrosis,
lytrotes=ransom, redemption
Gk Apolutrosis= a "loosing"
away; lutrosis= a "loosing" by paying a price.
Hb Ruomenos= one who rescues.
The basic shape of the doctrine is
formed in the Hebrew Scriptures. But the full meaning of all that God
has had eternally in mind is unveiled in the Greek Scriptures.
The religious significance of the
word redemption was established in the Exodus. The people of Israel
were trapped as slaves in Egypt due to their sin or sins. God acted
to bring about their rescue. He intervened with great judgements
(miraculous signs) and finally brought death to the Egyptians when
they would not let his people go (Ex 4:23; 12:29). By two bloods, the
blood of the paschal lamb and the blood of circumcision, were the
people of God set free from their sins. See also Dt 15:15+; Ps
78:42-43.
The word Ga'al is used in Ex
6:5-6. It emphesizes the very important fact that God viewed Israel
as family when He set about to redeem her. Israel did not become
family through His redemptive acts--Israel was already family--Israel
was God's firstborn son.
The Egyptians who lost their
firstborn and those who died in the Red Sea so that Israel might
break free of their bondage was the ransom (Koper) that God gave for
Israel's freedom (Isa 43:3).
The thoughts constantly impressed
upon the Israelites were that they were a people belonging to
Jehovah, that He had redeemed them, (severed them from bondage of
their sins), and that Canaan, with all it might produce, was the gift
of God, used by the Israelites as a bounty from Jehovah. Therefore
all Israel owed service to God and were, in spirit at least, to be
priests unto the Most High. But because Levi and his descendants were
set apart for the service of the sanctuary, all others were to be
redeemed in the person of the firstborn of man and beasts. See Ex
13:11-16; 34:19-20; Num 18:8-32.
The firstborn of men and animals,
which belong to God, are released from this obligation (ie belonging
to God) by the payment of a price. Each new birth in Israel reminded
God's people that they were a people who had been delivered by God
and were his unique possession.
The Jews had the assurance that
God had established ownership of them through redemption and would
continue to act to deliver them as they trusted in him.
By this doctrine, we learn that
God still stands beside us to meet our every need.
With ga'al we get a richer meaning
of redemption. For example, if an Israelite was forced by need to
sell some of his property, it could be redeemed for him by a
wealthier kinsman (Lv 25:47-55). Secondly, a person might, by payment
of a redemption price, redeem his own property that he had dedicated
to the Lord (Lv 25:23+; 27). Third, a near kinsman was to serve as
judicial executioner of the murderer of his relative (Num 35:12-31).
Redemption requires payment of a
price. We now can understand the necessity of the Pesach lamb, whose
blood was applied to the door in order to affect the protection of
the Israelite family, and ultimately their redemption out of Egypt.
The cost is God is nothing short of the giving of His own life( as
symbolized in the slaying of the lamb), for redemption requires the
payment of a price, and by the very standard of His justice that
price is life-for-life.
NT Redemption
Yeshua died to redeem or ransom
men from the penalties and the dominion of their sins. Jesus Himself
is the ransom and He becomes the ransom payment by His death and His
blood. The redemption He wrought manifests not only the love of the
Son but also that of the Father. See Rom 3:24; Gal 3:13; Eph 1:7; I
Pt 1:18-19; I Cor 1:30; Mt 20:28; I Tim 2:6.
Redemption was in the thought and
plan of the Creator of so that man, falling, fell into the arms of
divine mercy. The Lamb of God without blemish or defect was in the
fore-knowledge of God slain from the foundation of the world (Rv
13:8; I Pt 1:19-20).
The Holy Spirit is active in the
administration of redemption. The trinity is a redemptional trinity.
See Rm 5:8; Jn 3:16; Mtt 28:19.
The atonement of Yeshua was an act
of redemption in which the price paid another, and finally by God
Himself, was the precious blood of Yeshua (Mk 2:10; 10:45; Gal 3:13;
Eph 1:7; I Pt 1:18-19). By the shedding of His blood, Yeshua entered
the Holy of Holies once for all and obtained an eternal ransom along
with an eternal inheritance unlike the Levitical priests who entered
repeatedly to gain a temporary effect because their sins stood in the
way.
Because of man's sins, they
required a ransom of death to free them from the bondage of sin.
Therefore, Yeshua gave himself freely as an eternal sacrifice as the
Lamb of God to bear the sins of many (all of mankind). By His
ransomed blood, He frees us of the guilt and penal consequences of
our sins; and only through that relief does it secure to us other
blessings.
Also, since mankind being sinners,
can be justified only by an act of pure grace on God's part; that
God, however, can so act towards them in His grace, only because
there is a ransoming available for them in Yeshua; and that this
ransoming was procured by the death of Yeshua as an expiatory
sacrifice, enabling God righteously to forgive sins. Therefore, the
ransom had to occur if man wants to get to heaven.
Redemption implies precedence to
bondage. Thus the word refers primarily to man's subjection to the
dominion and curse of sin (Gal 3:13; I Cor 15:56), to Satan as the
head of the kingdom of darkness, and to the bondage of death as the
penalty of sin (Acts 26:18; Hb 2:14-15).
Redemption is offered to all who
accept it by meeting the conditions of salvation (ie receiving
forgiveness of sins by baptism and the power to lead a new and holy
life). Satan is no longer their captor, and death has lost its sting
and terror. They are released from all wickedness. They look forward
to the redemption of the body (Hb 2:9; Acts 3:19; Eph 1:7; Acts
26:18; II Tm 2:26; I Cor 15:55-57; Rm 8:15-23, Tit 2:14).
Redemption is an eternal
redemption (Hb 9:12), intended to so cleanse us that "we may
serve the living God" (Tit 2:14; Hb 9:14).
This last aspect of redemption has
a parallel in Roman law. A person who had been captured in war and
released through the payment of a ransom by another Roman citizen was
obligated to his ransomer until the price had been repaid. You and I,
ransomed at incalculable cost, are forever in the debt of God and
must rightfully surrender ourselves to Him (Rom 6:12-14). But it is
in bondage to him that our true freedom lies.
The redeem individual's experience
of redemption will not be complete until the second advent of Yeshua
(Lk 21:28; Rom 8:23; Eph 1:14).
Summary. Redemption in the Hebrew
Scriptures involves someone who is in bondage or danger. All of the
words for redemption find their source in the common things of daily
life, but they all take on great significance as the common meanings
are applied to explain God's actions on Israel's behalf.
So interpreted, God's redemption
of Israel from Egypt was an intervention that transferred ownership
of Israel to the Lord. When Israel became God's by redemption as well
as by creation, they could trust him to deliver them in the future.
Thus, God's redemption is seen as an affirmation of close kinship
with his covenant people. He acted because they were his family. Love
and duty combined as God stepped into history to meet the needs of a
people who were helpless without him.
The Greek Scriptures applies the
concept developed in the Hebrew Scriptures to the issue of personal
salvation. Each person in our world is in the grip of sin. Sin's
bondage can be broken only through Yeshua's blood. Redeemed, the
believer is given a place in the family of God and is called to live
a life that reflects his/her new standing.
See also: Ex 21:30; 34:20;
13:13,16; Nm 18:15; Isa 35:9-10; 51:11; 62;12; Matt 20:28; Mk 10:45;
Lk 2:38; Hb 9:12.
See Atonement, Salvation,
Propitiation.
Exodus 6:6 or 7 says about redemption,
"with an outstretched arm and great judgments." What
exactly is meant by this picturesque language, "with an
outstretched arm?"
The phrase is almost always used
in connection with the exodus event, and is in parallel with the idea
of unmatched power and greatness. Even in the text at hand, the
phrase is linked with the idea of "great judgments." The
"hand" or "arm" is symbolic in Hebrew for "power"
generally, and thus an "outstretched arm" pictures power.
This metaphor is used in connection with creation, divine judgment,
and especially in connection with the exodus. The "outstretched
arm of God" refers to His providential care (Ex 6:6; Dt 4:34;
5:15; 7: 19; 9:29; 11:2; 26: 8; 33:27; 89:10; I Ki 8:42; 2 Ki 17:36;
II Chron 6:32; Ps 136:12; Is 40:11; 51:9; 52:10; Jer 27:5; 32:17,21;
Ezk 20:33-34). It also signifies His power and promptness to protect
or punish, a figure taken from the attitude of ancient warriors.
Whatever trouble we are in, personal or public, we may comfort
ourselves that the Lord sees it, and knows how to remedy it.
The Fourth Cup--The Cup of Hope
"Then I will take you for My
people, and I will be your God...." (Ex 6:7)
The fourth cup was drank after Psalms
115-118 was read. Cup of Praise or Acceptance.
The fourth cup recalls us to our
covenant with the Eternal One, to the tasks that still await us as a
people called to the service of God, to a great purpose which the
people of Israel live."
The Fourth Cup is connected in the
seder with the coming of Elijah the Prophet. The calling for Elijah
emphasizes that such a peaceful scene can only be fathomed in
connection with the coming of the Messiah. Also connected with the
fourth cup is the reciting of Hallel Psalms (Pss 115-118) and the
great Hallel (Ps 136).
The Fourth Cup takes on the
character of hope for the future when all of Israel is in the Land,
he enemies are subdued, and peace reigns.
The Fourth Cup add to the picture
of redemption that the Israelites now must make their way through the
wilderness and foreign lands before they can reach the Promised Land.
Redemption guarantees the final destination, but the journey is still
necessary.
The history of Israel shows that
from the time of our exodus out of Egypt, never has the nation as a
whole willingly worshiped God as He desires. Early in our walk
through the wilderness we showed through our actions that we were not
free from idolatry. And our history is strewn with waywardness and
rebellion. We have not wholeheartedly, as a nation, fulfilled the
words of this Fourth Cup, "I will take you for My people, and I
will be your God." While this has certainly been true of
individuals in every generation who have made up a believing remnant
(Is 10:22; Rom 9:27), the nation as a whole has never been
characterized by genuine worship of God. It is to this that Jeremiah
points to in his prophecy. For there is coming a time when all of
Israel will "know God," through a genuine covenant
relationship with Him.
'I will take you" Ex 6:7; Jer
3:14; Ezk 36:24;
The restoration of that people,
being typical of our redemption by Yeshua, shows that the end aimed
at in our salvation is the glory of God.
Summary
The Four Cups of the Seder, based
from Ex 6:6-7, paints this picture for us:
First Cup-- marks Israel out as God's
chosen ones and bring them out from under the burden of slavery,
freeing them to worship and serve Him in spirit and in truth.
Second Cup--reminds us that we were in
great need of deliverance, for our own idolatry so shackled us as to
be unable to affect our own rescue. In our helpless state we must
trust in Him and in Him alone for our salvation.
Third Cup--God reveals to us that our
salvation requies His divine power and His payment of a
life-for-life. Our salvation cost Him dearly in the life of His only
firstborn Son who shed His life for us.
Fourth Cup--We must await the future
with hope of Messiah's coming, for He alone can transform us fully
into the holy people He has ordained.
Cup of Redemption was seen in the
Garden of Gethsemene where Yeshua was praying and He wished that
Elohim/God would take away the cup.
Cup of Redemption is also seen up on
the cross when he supped the vinegar that was not drugged when he
said: I thirst". At this time in the temple the last Passover
lamb was about to be sacrificed and the priest said: I thirst".
NT Communion I Cor 11:23-32; Job 13:23;
Ps 26:2; Ps 139:23-24; I Cor 10:12; I Jn 1:8-10; 2 Cor 7:9; Jam
5:14-16; I Jn 5:16-17;
